What has Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs been convicted of?

Brandon Drenon and Nadine YousifBBC NewsWatch: BBC reporter inside courtroom on response as Diddy verdict readThe trial of American music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was accused of operating a sprawling intercourse trafficking operation, has ended with two responsible verdicts and an acquittal on three others.The rapper was convicted on two counts of transportation for prostitution of his ex-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, and one other lady generally known as “Jane” who had testified within the trial.He was discovered not responsible of probably the most severe cost of racketeering conspiracy, in addition to two fees of intercourse trafficking in relation to Ms Ventura and “Jane”.Combs, 55, had pleaded not responsible and denied all allegations towards him.Here’s a breakdown of the costs confronted by the rapper and the way the jury got here to its choice.What’s racketeering?Racketeering conspiracy, or directing an unlawful enterprise below the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (Rico), is the formal title for the cost.The legislation was created to tackle mob bosses, however it has since been utilized in different trials, together with for intercourse trafficking – comparable to within the case towards disgraced R&B singer R Kelly.It is usually typically used towards a bunch of defendants. US President Donald Trump and his allies have been accused of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election leads to Georgia – fees that Trump denied.To convict Combs on this cost, prosecutors needed to show that he used his loyal community of associates to run a legal enterprise to commit crimes together with intercourse trafficking, kidnapping, drugging and obstruction of justice. On this case, that community would come with his workers, who prosecutors argued performed a component in organising the “freak-offs” on the centre of the case. These have been extended sexual encounters at which the prosecution’s key witnesses stated they have been coerced to have intercourse with male escorts whereas Combs watched. In a raid on his Los Angeles mansion, police discovered provides that they stated have been meant to be used in freak-offs, together with medicine and greater than 1,000 bottles of child oil.Getty ImagesWhy was Diddy acquitted of racketeering?Combs’ acquittal on probably the most severe cost of racketeering will seemingly be seen as an enormous win by his authorized staff.His attorneys had sought to undermine the allegation by asking witnesses whether or not Combs’ workers ever witnessed the freak-offs. Cassie Ventura, the star witness for the prosecution, stated she didn’t assume they have been current.Defence attorneys argued that the case can’t be thought of to be racketeering if members of Combs’ workers weren’t knowingly complicit.”Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?” stated defence legal professional Marc Agnifilo. “Did any witness get on that witness stand and say ‘sure, I used to be a part of a racketeering enterprise, I engaged in racketeering’?”Robert Mintz, a legal defence lawyer and former federal prosecutor, instructed the BBC that the racketeering cost was at all times going to be probably the most difficult one for prosecutors to show to a jury.To realize a conviction, attorneys wanted to show that Combs established a co-ordinated plan between himself and not less than one different particular person to commit not less than two crimes over a span of a number of years, Mr Mintz stated.”It is a very sophisticated cost, used usually previously in organized crime prosecution,” Mr Mintz stated, including it’s unsurprising that this cost gave the jury probably the most issue. What’s Diddy discovered responsible of?Combs was convicted of two counts of transportation to have interaction in prostitution referring to Ms Ventura and an nameless sufferer generally known as “Jane”.In easy phrases, it means the jury discovered Combs responsible of transporting the 2 girls to locations the place they might take part in intercourse acts and prostitution.The felony dates again to the Mann Act, which was enacted in 1910. What’s the Mann Act?The Mann Act is a US federal legislation that was handed to fight human trafficking and sexual exploitation of ladies.Initially known as the “White-Slave Site visitors Act”, the greater than 100-year-old legislation prohibits the transportation of people throughout state strains for unlawful intercourse acts or prostitution.Each Ms Ventura and “Jane”, who had dated the rapper, individually testified about “freak-offs” or “resort nights”. They described these as sexual encounters wherein the couple would rent male escorts to have intercourse with the feminine associate whereas Combs watched, at instances recording or directing them. In its early days, the Mann Act was utilized by federal prosecutors as a strategy to criminalise some types of consensual exercise, together with interracial relationships. Combs’ attorneys referenced that historical past in an unsuccessful try to get one of many fees towards the rapper dismissed, arguing that he was being unfairly persecuted due to his race. Getty Photographs Combs has been held at this Brooklyn jailHow a lot jail time is Diddy dealing with?Transportation for functions of prostitution – the cost that Combs was convicted of – carries a most sentence of 10 years. And Combs was convicted on two counts. After the decision, his lawyer Marc Agnifilo instantly requested for his consumer to be launched from federal detention till his sentencing listening to, and prompt a $1m bail. However a choose denied that request and stated the hip-hop mogul will stay in jail till he’s sentenced. Prosecutor Maurene Comey has stated she’s going to push for the total 20 years – a decade for every conviction. “It’s clear that the defendant does pose a hazard,” she stated.Combs has been held on the Metropolitan Detention Middle in Brooklyn, New York, since his arrest on 16 September 2024.Critics describe the jail as overcrowded and understaffed, with a tradition of violence. His attorneys argued for his launch in 2024, citing the jail’s “horrific” circumstances, however a New York federal choose denied the bail request, describing Combs as a “severe flight threat”.When will Diddy be sentenced?Decide Arun Subramanian proposed 3 October as a sentencing date for Combs, however the defence requested for an expedited schedule. The attorneys will meet once more on 8 July to additional talk about the schedule. The choose stated Combs would get 10 months credit score for time served.Whereas the rapper faces a most sentence of 10 years on every depend, it will likely be as much as the choose to determine the size of time he’ll finally serve.What are the opposite allegations towards Diddy?Individually, Combs faces a lot of lawsuits accusing him of rape and assault.Tony Buzbee, a Texas lawyer dealing with a few of these instances, stated that greater than 100 ladies and men from throughout the US had both filed lawsuits towards the rap mogul or meant to take action.In December 2023, a girl recognized in courtroom papers as Jane Doe alleged that she was “gang raped” by Combs and others in 2003, when she was 17. She stated she was given “copious quantities of medication and alcohol” earlier than the assault. Combs’s authorized staff dismissed the flurry of lawsuits as “clear makes an attempt to garner publicity”.EPASean Combs and Cassie Ventura have been in an on-and-off relationship for greater than a decadeCombs’ present authorized points started in late 2023 when he was sued by Ms Ventura, also referred to as Cassie, for violent abuse and rape. That lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed quantity a day after it was filed, with Combs sustaining his innocence.Since then, dozens of different folks have filed lawsuits accusing Combs of sexual assault, with accusations courting again to 1991. He denies all of the claims. His controversial historical past with Ms Ventura resurfaced in 2024, when CNN revealed leaked CCTV footage from 2016 exhibiting Combs kicking his ex-girlfriend as she lay on a resort hallway flooring. He apologised for his behaviour, saying: “I take full accountability for my actions in that video. I used to be disgusted then once I did it. I am disgusted now.”How have been the New York jurors chosen? Dozens of potential jurors have been vetted by the courtroom. The method included potential jurors trying by way of a protracted record of locations and those that may very well be talked about throughout trial, with names like Kanye West and Child Cudi. Potential jurors additionally needed to fill out questionnaires that requested whether or not they had “views about hip hop artists” or “emotions regarding violence, sexual assault”. The choose reminded the courtroom a number of instances of the significance of selecting a good and neutral jury. How did ‘Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs turn into profitable?Combs – who has additionally passed by the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love – emerged within the hip-hop scene within the Nineteen Nineties.His early music profession success included serving to launch the careers of Mary J Blige and Christopher Wallace – aka Biggie Smalls, or The Infamous B.I.G.His music label Dangerous Boy Data grew to become some of the necessary labels in rap and expanded to incorporate Religion Evans, Ma$e, 112, Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez.Combs additionally had a prolific enterprise profession outdoors of music, together with a cope with British drinks firm Diageo to advertise the French vodka model Cîroc.In 2023, he launched his fifth report The Love Album: Off The Grid and earned his first solo nomination on the Grammy awards. He additionally was named a International Icon on the MTV Awards.Get all the most recent trial updates on the BBC Sounds ‘Diddy on Trial’ podcast accessible wherever you get your BBC podcasts.